We do more than, JUST, YouTube!
Check more MIgardener below:
Start growing! Visit our online store for $2 heirloom seeds, custom blend fertilizers, and gardening tools http://www.migardener.com/
Our daily blog: https://migardener.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MIgardener
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MIgardener
send garden snail mail to:
MIgardener
1426 Oakland Ave.
St. Clair, MI 48079
Our book is out! The AutoPilot Garden. A guide to hands-free gardening – every method and a bit of knowledge that we use to grow big! Check it out here: https://migardener.com/collections/bo…
————————————————————————————————————
Love what we do? Here is how you can support this channel to create more content, at no additional cost to you!
Shop on Amazon with this link: https://amzn.to/3HFpsEb *
Per popular request, we have created an Amazon Storefront with all our most tried and true Amazon finds. If we wouldn’t use it we would not endorse it: https://www.amazon.com/shop/migardener *
*We get a small commission at NO cost to you.
Thank you all so much for watching and Grow BIG!
28 Comments
Waste of time and money make paper pots it’s faster and cheaper than buying a soil blocker
Love, love, love my soil blocker. Couldn't do my flower farm without it. I love sifted Vermont Compost Fort Vee for my blocks.
Use the Bootstrap Farmer mesh trays. Makes watering easier!
If you're worried about plastic debris in your garden the soil & compost sources as well as other misc garden materials are much much more important than the seed starting trays.
I am looking to go to soil blocking. Then, adding a sturdy 1020 tray. I will still need some pots for up-potting my tomatoes and peppers.
What about watering
Thanks Luke, about to start some blocks in the basement!
the dense soil could also create internal pressure that inhibits roots unless they're "strong" enough to push through. plants with more delecate roots could have problems if they cant push through the compacted soil. Kind of like when packing the soil in a pot a little too hard and instead of just geting rid of air pockets, you push too hard and now it's compacted
Both cukes & Tomatoes start in the 2" block…potted up to the 4". Love it!
Love my soil blocker. Did a great job covering the pros and cons. Dealt with them all.
Sorry not impressed.
Just my two cents here. TLDR – too much work for me for all the reasons he said. The detail: Using 2 inch blocker and using sifted Fox Farm Cocoloco with additional coco coir and found a sweet spot with forming the blocks. They held together well, were dense enough to hold together – initially. Where I disliked the method was bottom watering. I always have bottom watered, but I found the blocks would simply start to disintegrate by about the third week. The tray was filled with soil, just as he said. My takeaway is that they are too fussy for me. I know that others love it so much, and I really wanted to love them, but the blocks were too much work. I'm back to my plastic seed starts that I recycle from annuals I've bought over the years. Soooo much easier (and yes, I hate the plastic! but it sucks to see the blocks falling apart.)
Would love to know the best plants that work best with the soil blocker.
Watching MI garden video about soil blocking while making soil blocks. Life is good.
💜🩵🩷
I LOVE the soil blocks! I have been using them for 5 years even for tomato and bell peppers. I do see a bit of a break down in the soil, however, I just take my finger and kind of put it back. You can just pick them up at planting time and pop them in the ground/container. What I do not like is that it is easier to get a lot more plants in a72 cell. Love your videos!! You are awesome! I have been listening for about 6 years. Thank you!
Im a first year gardener and I've learned so much from you…thank you!
"what size block" is probably my biggest issue right now. the original soil blocker came in 2" and 3/4" blocks and the 3/4's are too small for most of my applications, while the 2" eat up a ton of soil. I want to get a head start on some smaller stuff that I plan to transplant quickly (2 week starts on Perennials for instance) and really feel like somewhere between a 1.5" and 1" would be the sweet spot for quick turn-around seeds.
I use my 2" blocker to do my beans every year. Because of their size beans usually only come in packs of 25 so the soil blocker lets me plant each block with a single seed, make sure they sprout, and then space the finished beans out so i can get a nice canopy in my bed. I've also used it for Cucumbers and Squash as they tend not to do well in transplanting but the soil block seems to avoid the issue more than a pot.
Love soil bocks. My favorite thing about soil blocks is it allows me to plant much smaller seedlings than I could out of cell trays. I find smaller seedlings go through a lot less transplant shock.
We recently started soil blocking and switched out plastic trays for stainless steel bus/steam pans.
The stainless steel pans from Vevor weren’t that much more expensive than plastic trays and although they’re much thinner than traditional restaurant bus pans, they’ll definitely last a lot longer than plastic.
I bought a soil blocker it was a waste of money, I don't like it. I prefer plastic pots.
I’ve had great success with peppers and tomatoes and they have to be inside for a long time in my climate. If they get too unwieldy I’ll pot them up (even into a red solo cup) and they still get the initial benefits of the airpruning. Potting up and planting out are both super easy as soil blocking also helps with transplant shock.
Tried soil blocking, wasn't impressed, way too much work. It has its advantages I suppose, but not my preference.
I've considered making blocks of soil with an extra addition of a diluted plain gelatin added for slightly more adhesion of the medium
Really don't want to try soil blocking. I am fine just with what I am doing.
I used them 12 years ago. Johnny Seeds used to sell a mix that worked perfectly for soil blocks.
I think I am going to get going on soil blocking
Thanks Luke! I’ve been thinking about giving this a try.